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38-492: The Dean Razorback V consists of a standard " ML ' shape, with the signature points of the Razorback on each of its legs; the Razorback also has an unusual forked headstock , as with the rest of the Razorback range of Dean guitars. Abbott asked that a special Razorback should be made in the style of Eddie Van Halen 's " Frankenstrat " guitar; this was done, but the standard black, white and red Van Halen style guitar has remained in

76-572: A 34"-scale 22-fret dark rosewood fingerboard. The Explorer Bass employs a set-neck design rather than the bolted-neck construction used in the Epiphone version of the Gibson Thunderbird . (Gibson produced some 32"-scale Explorer basses in the 1980s, including one model that featured a futuristic piezo pickup in place of the traditional pickups found on the other models) In 2001 Gibson produced limited editions of Eric Clapton 's modified 1958 Explorer,

114-417: A breach of contract relating to royalties owed in relation to the production of the Razorback models, as a result all production of the Razorback and Dimebag related signatures ceased and the company no longer lists Darrell as an endorsee, as of 2024 Razorback guitars can usually only be found by private sellers online. Razorback players include Black Label Society guitarist Zakk Wylde , whose Razorback has

152-444: A custom lightning bolt paint job, routed for a Floyd Rose and has a Bill Lawrence L-500XL pickup in the bridge , two traction volume knobs, one master tone knob, mahogany body and a rosewood fretboard . The original has an old Kiss sticker on the bottom left spike and multiple abrasions including burn marks on the tips of the headstock from Abbott shooting bottle rockets from them. The words "THE DEAN FROM HELL" are written on

190-667: A limited run of 1000 of each model were built for the Guitar of the Month feature. In the same year, Gibson also released the Robot Explorer, an Explorer version of the Gibson Robot Guitar together with a similar version of the Flying V featuring custom red metallic nitrocellulose finish, ebony fingerboard with white lining and trapezoid inlays, and lacking a pickguard. Production of this guitar

228-520: A low-cost Korean import series. Ibanez introduced the Destroyer model in the 1970s, with a korina-coloured Japanese Sen body that closely resembled the original 1958 Explorer. In about 1981 Ibanez changed the shape of the Destroyer body. Although the new Destroyer II model was still clearly inspired by Gibson's original Explorer design, the body lines were modified, most notably around the treble "horn" and

266-412: A slight "v" shape to it, which for some guitarists facilitated faster playing. The shape fits into some players' hands more comfortably. The design spread the mass of the guitar over a wider area than most guitars to maximize sustain. The V-shaped headstock and "string-through-body" were also intended to increase sustain and improve tone. The Dean ML's body shape resembles a Gibson Flying V combined with

304-592: A staple in the Gibson lineup, the Explorer was discontinued and brought back multiple times in the late 2000s, along with the Flying V. In 2014 a limited edition 120th Anniversary model, with a special 12th-fret inlay and neck binding, was made available. In 2016 the Explorer was brought back into the standard lineup. Hamer Guitars created a tribute to the Explorer in 1974 called the Hamer "Standard". This model typically differed from

342-531: A subsidiary of Fender ) was sued by Gibson for their line of Kelly guitars, which are very similar to the Explorer. The Kelly was sleeker and lighter, with basically the same shape but with beveled edges. High-end guitar company Alembic Inc produced the Exploiter bass guitars for the late John Entwistle of the Who . These basses had the body shape of the Explorer with either a cone- or V-shaped headstock. The Exploiter

380-495: A transparent black finish and hard case. Notable players of the Dean ML include CJ Stevenson , Eric Peterson , Dimebag Darrell , Michael Angelo Batio , Corey Beaulieu , Matt Heafy , Wayne Static , and Michael Schenker . Gibson Explorer The Gibson Explorer is a type of electric guitar model by Gibson guitars, released in 1958. The Explorer offered a radical, " futuristic " body design, much like its siblings:

418-546: A triangle pattern (rather than a straight line as on the original model). In 1984 and 1985 Gibson produced the Explorer III, with three single-coil P-90 pickups and an alder body, as well as the Designer Series Explorer (and Flying V), which had factory-painted graphics in geometric and "Artist Original" designs. In 1998 Gibson introduced an Explorer in its "Gothic" line, which featured Gibson's guitars (including

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456-418: A white seven-string Explorer, Gibson released a statement that they would make a regular production version. It has many classic characteristics such as a rosewood fretboard, 22 frets, 24.75 scale length and a 12" radius while acquiring some more metal-oriented hardware and styling with the addition of active EMG pickups (81-7 bridge & 707 neck), and no fretmarkers on the fretboard. Although thought to be

494-540: Is also available as part of the Baby Series as a scaled-down version. The Dean "Metalman" line of bass guitars has a Metalman ML model. A guitar body shape similar to that of the ML is featured in the "create-an-instrument" mode in the video game Guitar Hero: World Tour . The "Dean From Hell" was a Flame Series ML used by the late Dimebag Darrell Abbott, shown on the cover of Pantera 's album Cowboys from Hell . It has

532-431: Is different in that the edges are rounded over and the lower bout cuts more deeply into the body than an Explorer. After Entwistle's death, Alembic released the "Spyder" based on John's custom basses, with production limited to 50 guitars. Warwick also produces the "Stryker" basses, based on the custom Explorer-style basses. Dean Guitars produced a John Entwistle Spyder Signature Bass in 2013, limited to 25 US models and

570-408: Is not made of mahogany as used in the rest of the range. The Razorback 255 has a 25.5 scale length neck with 24 frets and is designed for easier access to the higher notes. The Razorback 7 has seven strings, normally tuned B E A D G B E, instead of the standard six used on most other guitars. The Razorback has a double edged razor, similar to one worn by Abbott on a necklace, on the twelfth fret of

608-459: The Cort Effector (an Explorer version with built-in effects, but no pickup toggle switch). Gibson owns U.S. Trademark 2,641,548 for the mark EXPLORER in connection with guitars. Gibson also owns U.S. Trademark 2,696,053 for the Explorer's headstock design, and U.S. Trademark 2,053,805 for the Explorer's body shape design. However, the enforceability of the latter two design trademarks

646-591: The Flying V , which was released the same year, and the Moderne , which was designed in 1957 but not released until 1982. The Explorer was the final development of a prototype design that, years later, Gibson marketed under the name Futura . The Explorer's initial run was unsuccessful, and the model was discontinued in 1963. In 1976, Gibson began reissuing the Explorer after competitor Hamer Guitars had success selling similar designs. The Explorer became especially popular among

684-578: The NAMM Show and on the Ozzfest 2006 tour, MTV 's Headbangers Ball and in 2011 at the Mesa Contemporary Arts Center . The exhibit was curated by Curse Mackey of the band Pigface . In 2007, for the 30th anniversary of the ML and V , Dean Guitars produced 100 of the ML with a "Dean 30th Anniversary" logo printed on the headstock and the pickup covers. They were signed by Dean Zelinsky, and had

722-495: The hard rock and heavy metal musicians of the 1970s and 1980s. Gibson displayed a prototype guitar at the 1957 NAMM Convention which was dubbed the Futura. It featured the body shape which would later be known as an Explorer, but with no controls and a V-shaped headstock. Gibson produced a very small first commercial batch of only 19 Explorers during the 1958 run of the original korina wood model, but only made and released 3 in

760-589: The 'bullseye' finish used on his Gibson Les Paul , "Flying V" and Epiphone Les Paul guitars. Wylde also uses a Dean Split Tail with this design, a cross between the standard Gibson SG and "Flying V" shapes used by other companies. Matt Heafy of Trivium played a white and gold U.S.-made custom Razorback, which was subsequently made as a limited edition import model, with approximately 24–48. Other players have included Vince Minogue of Wireless Soul, Glen Alvelais , Eddie Van Halen , Alex Nuñez of Black Tide , Edsel Dope , and Jonas Kjellgren . Abbott never used

798-682: The Explorer Clapton Cut, featuring a shortened bass bout that allows more comfortable arm positioning and the Explorer Split Headstock, a faithful recreation of the original 1958 korina Explorer with the "forked" headstock found only on the very earliest examples.. In 2003 Gibson Guitars produced limited editions of Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist Allen Collins 's Gibson Explorer. The guitar is made of African limba wood and features an aged finish, Maestro vibrola , and classic humbucking pickups In 2008 Gibson released two new versions of

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836-442: The Explorer, Flying V, SG , and Les Paul ) in matte black finishes. Several variants are also produced by Epiphone  – Gibson's lower-cost, non-US manufacturer. These include a model produced in korina wood and Epiphone's own "Goth" model, available with a stop-tail or Floyd Rose locking tremolo bridge. Epiphone also produced an Explorer Bass in ebony black and velvet natural finishes with two humbucking pickups and

874-592: The TP6 tail-piece, gold hardware, and "velvet brick" or "dirty fingers" pickups, cream color body binding, with a black pickguard and 3 knobs in a row. The necks have ebony fretboards. Those items together distinguish an Explorer II from the later E/2. For the E/2 Explorer, Gibson optioned them with various different parts. The biggest difference was the curved/contoured body. Some came with "dirty fingers" pickups where some are cream and black-colored (Zebra) or all black. Most had

912-691: The X-Plorer Studio; the Matthias Jabs -designed Explorer 90 (named so because it was 90% the body size of a regular Explorer), and the Explorer Pro, introduced in 2007. In 1976 Gibson released a "Limited Edition" Explorer in mahogany with gold hardware. In 1979 Gibson introduced the E2 model (also known as the Explorer II), featuring a 5-piece walnut/maple laminated construction and a contoured body. This model

950-499: The company's museum at their headquarters in the US, while the yellow design was given to Van Halen. In 2007 three new designs were added. The Razorback DB has a lower specification and price, with Dean pickups instead of the EMG or Seymour Duncan and DiMarzio on the Razorback. It does not have a tremolo; it has a bolt-on neck construction instead of the set-in construction of the Razorback, and

988-415: The factory with either a standard tune-o-matic bridge /stopbar tailpiece or a Kahler tremolo . From 1984 to 1987 the standard Explorer's body wood varied between mahogany and alder. The neck wood would vary between maple and mahogany and the fretboard wood varied between Indian rosewood and ebony. Other additions to this model included rear-loaded pickup cavities, no pickguard, and control knobs arranged in

1026-426: The following year, 1959. After the first few guitars, the Explorer had a long drooping headstock with the tuners placed in a straight line on one side (referred sometimes as "banana" and "hockey-stick"). This headstock design was incorporated by Grover Jackson , founder of Jackson Guitars and other electric guitar makers such as Kramer 20 years later, giving rise to the "pointy-headstock era" of guitars. However,

1064-480: The guitar onstage, as it was released by Dean posthumously, but had played it in a few recorded videos. Dean ML The Dean ML is an electric guitar made by Dean Guitars in 1977 along with its counterparts, the Dean V , Dean Cadillac and Dean Z . It has an unusual design, with a V-shaped headstock and V-shaped tailpiece . It was popularized by the guitarist Dimebag Darrell of Pantera . The neck had

1102-420: The guitar, the first of which was the "50-Year Commemorative Explorer". This version features a solid mahogany body with AA-grade maple top, and the body style is the so-called "new retro Explorer", which has rounded edges. The second is called the "Reverse Explorer" due to its inverted body style. The reverse model features a carbon fibre-like pickguard and inlays as well as a McCarty-era inspired headstock. Only

1140-605: The neck. On January 19, 2008 three more Razorback designs were announced, one in tribute to the Pantera song Cemetery Gates . Written across the body of the guitar are the words from the chorus: "will unlock my door, and pass the cemetery gates". Another was the 10,000th Commemorative Razorback, with a diamond-plated steel finish. The third was a left-handed version of the Razorback Explosion. In 2021 Dimebag's estate headed by his girlfriend Rita Haney sued Dean Guitars for

1178-418: The original Explorer in that it had no pickguard and a mahogany body with a highly figured maple top in a cherry sunburst finish, though custom finishes were also available. Gaining popularity with the hard rock musicians of the day, including Rick Nielsen , Hamer's success led the way for other copies and was partly responsible for prompting Gibson's own decision to reissue the Explorer. Jackson Guitars (now

Dean Razorback - Misplaced Pages Continue

1216-638: The rear edge, and the headstock was changed to a slight variation of the traditional Ibanez headstock shape, no longer resembling Gibson's "hockey stick" shape. Dean Guitars was ordered to halt sales of the Dean Z in 2022 after the shape was found to infringe on Gibson's patents. Other guitars similar to the Explorer include the ESP EX Greco guitars ' Explorer, Aria Pro II , Kramer 's Condor, Peavey 's Rotor series, Rondo Music 's Douglas Halo and Agile Ghost, Gaskell Guitars Classic (left handed only), Gordon-Smith 's Explorer, Chapman 's Ghost Fret, and

1254-573: The standard stop-bar tailpiece, but some E/2's did come with a TP6 tailpiece. The E/2 was also offered in burst colors and clear finishes, whereas the E-II did not come in clear finishes. Gibson also produced a range of Explorer models between 1981 and 1984 with high-output "dirty fingers" pickups, maple neck and body, and a bound figured maple top available in natural, cherry sunburst, or vintage (tobacco) sunburst finishes. These were alternately named E/2, Explorer CMT, or The Explorer. They could be equipped from

1292-452: The top in black magic marker . "Six-String Masterpieces " is an ongoing charitable art tribute for Dimebag Darrell. Musicians, tattooists and contemporary artists painted, sculpted, or drew original art on a Dean ML guitar. Over 70 artists participated including Jerry Cantrell , James Hetfield , Kirk Hammett , Dave Grohl , Ozzy Osbourne , Kerry King , Joe Satriani , Marilyn Manson , Zakk Wylde and Rob Zombie . They were on display at

1330-432: The upper half of an Explorer . Dean Zelinsky created the ML in 1977, striving for improved sustain and tone. Higher string angles and string length, due to the size of the headstock, contribute to the overall resonance. Dean has made the ML available to other manufacturers by licensing arrangement. The ML was named posthumously for the initials of Zelinsky's friend Matthew Lynn, who had died of cancer . The ML shape

1368-832: The very earliest Explorers made between 1957 and spring 1958 featured an unusual "split"-shaped head with the tuners placed in a standard 3+3 arrangement, carried over from the Explorer prototype (better known as the Futura ). The 1958–1959 korina Explorer is one of the most valuable production-model guitars on the market, ranked at #4 on the 2011 Top 25 published by Vintage Guitar , worth between $ 250,000 and $ 300,000. Only 22 were shipped in its first two years, 19 in 1958 and 3 in 1959; an unknown (small) number of leftover bodies were completed with nickel 1960s hardware and sold in 1963. 38 examples were known to exist as of 2011 . There have been several variants produced by Gibson. These include several smaller-bodied, more "user-friendly" versions such as

1406-629: Was discontinued after 1983, but was partially returned as the "Thunderhorse", a signature model for comedian/musician Brendon Small , which was heavily based on the E2. From 1979 to 1983 Gibson produced the "Explorer II", not to be confused with the later E/2 Explorers. The distinction is that the Explorer-II/E-II has a straight edge body with cream binding. These E-II's are made with a mahogany back and figured/flamed maple tops in "burst" colors, namely "cherry-burst" and "Tobacco burst". They did not come in clear or solid colored finishes. Also, they have

1444-560: Was discontinued in 2008. In 2009 the company released two new versions of the guitar, the first of which is the Tribal Explorer. It features a Kahler -style tremolo and tribal designs and lacks a pickguard. The final new 2009 model is the Holy Explorer, designed as a counterpart to the Holy V, with numerous notches cut through the body of the guitar. After creating Matt Heafy of Trivium

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